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Posted on: August 2, 2017

Kennett Township announces purchase of 63.8 acres of Open Space

Kennett Township Board of Supervisors are excited to announce that they successfully completed the purchase of the 63.8 acres Lord Howe/Speakman Property. The property borders between Burnt Mill and Old Kennett Roads containing a protected woodland with moderate slopes to conserve for open space in perpetuity through a conservation easement held by The Land Conservancy for Southern Chester County (TLC). The Colonial Pipeline crosses through the property. The Township worked in a collaborative effort with the Township Land Conservation Advisory Committee (LCAC), The Land Conservancy for Southern Chester County (TLC) and a private donor to purchase this property and preserve 63.8 acres, which will become a passive recreation area with trails and open space through the woodlands for the entire community to enjoy. Open Space Funds were used to pay for the $1.9 million purchase of the site. It is expected that almost 35% of this may be able to be recouped through grant funds in the future.

The proposed trails for the property will connect to an adjacent property, which has an open space and trail easement held by The Land Conservancy for Southern Chester County (TLC). With this addition of open space and trail connections we will be able to create a small trail network eventually connecting to the Kennett Greenway.

The acquisition took over a year to complete and required significant negotiations and persistence by TLC and the Township. We are delighted that the Speakman Family and the private donor agreed to work with the Township, the LCAC and TLC to facilitate this amazing open space acquisition. We congratulate and applaud everyone involved in this acquisition, which will help protect and preserve 63.8 acres for the enjoyment of everyone who works and lives in the Kennett Township area as well as for future generations. Through this project, the Kennett Township Board of Supervisors, assisted by the LCAC and TLC, is conserving the natural environment, supporting agriculture, and connecting people to nature, by protecting open spaces, natural areas, and creating open space for everyone to enjoy.